Another fantastic Janz read! This was his first novella ever put out into the world, and while he’s grown as a writer and mastered his craft over the last 13 years, this story is so creative and fun that you can really tell he’s just a natural storyteller. Jonathan has quickly become one of my favorite horror writers of all time, and this was no exception to the enjoyment rule.

Because Fridays at midnight, long after the casual moviegoers filed out of the exits, the Starlight Cinema transformed into something dark and perilous.

While this wasn’t a flawless read for me due to the ending feeling a bit confusing (there were few questions I wouldn’t have minded receiving the answers to as it all wrapped up), it’s so easy to round up to 5 because I was on the edge of my seat through the entire story and found my heart racing from the suspense a few times.

Tonight, he could experience the thrill of being chased without the danger of actually dying. He could inhabit the minds of murderers without inflicting damage on anyone. He could be more than a meek little man sitting alone in the dark with Twizzlers dangling from his mouth.
Here, he was free.

On top of the plot, I’ve got to take a second to talk about our protagonist, Larry, and how relatable his inner monologue is for horror film fans everywhere. He’s got a touch of elitism to him as he considers, with some snark, the idea that most film-watchers won’t appreciate the classics or the B-rated horror he loves, but he also touches on the immense feeling of family that fosters between lovers of the genre, which is something I can vouch for in my own life. Witching Hour Theatre feels like a horror story first and foremost, but a love letter to horror film fans second, and that is one hell of a winning combination.